Silent Fury
by MentalSarcasm
Summary: The pursuit of revenge leads one young woman to cross cities and continents.
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1

She was running. Through light and dark, light and dark, as she sped past the large windows, the illumination coming from the street lights outside. Her legs were killing her, burning oxygen that she just did not have, her heart was thumping painfully, her throat burnt with every gasped breath, her arms were pumping to push her forward but her shoulders ached and protested with every movement. She was too focused to think properly, all her brain was doing was concentrating on getting as much oxygen to her muscles as possible so she wouldn't collapse. But her mind was also racing, words tumbling around, half praying and half begging that she was not too late.

How could she have missed the clues for so long? Because the pair of them had been enjoying it too much, that was why. They had thought they were fantastic, the crime-fighting duo of Bludhaven, no criminal could out-smart them, or defeat them, and together they would make their city safe. The people deserved it, after the horrors that took place after the Chemo disaster and all the rebuilding work that had gone on, Bludhaven was still dragging itself out of the mud, a few criminals would not stop that happening. But something had gone wrong. Someone had figured out how to stop them. You had to make them believe you were immortal, that nothing could hurt you, that you would never die, if they knew you were a mere human under the suit then they would stop fearing you. They had utilized technology, tricks, illusions, everything to look like proper superheroes. But someone had not been fooled, and now it had all gone wrong.

She didn't stop when she hit the doors, her legs propelled her forward and she simply shielded her head with her arms, but they swung open quite easily. Too easily in fact, braced for an impact that never came, she stumbled in to the room, struggled to gain her balance, then slipped on something wet on the floor and tumbled over. She pushed herself up with her hands, gasping for breath, wanting to stand but finding her legs would not work. She fought back the urge to vomit, her limbs shaking, her head spinning, little dots flashing in front of her eyes. She wasn't sure what she had slipped on but she could feel it under her legs. And then the smell hit her nose, there was a hint of metal in the air, a small that you tended get more at the back of butcher's shops or at a particularly violent crime scene. She lifted her head just as the cloud moved away from it's place in front of the full moon, the silvery light pouring in through the large, full-length French windows of the room, lighting a scene that her brain instantly tried to hide. Small details were instantly removed, things that she could never cope with, but she was surprised by the amount of blood there seemed to be in the human body. It was everywhere, over the marble tiles, on some of the walls and windows, she had slipped on some of it, was sitting on some of it, and the sound of the occasional drip suggested there was still a bit more left to lose.

She could see him hanging limply, being held up by the scruff of the neck by a tall man, with light brown hair, a thick beard, a brown coat, more tufts of hair sticking out from the cuffs of the coat, a knife glinting evilly in his other hand. The look on his face, calm but triumphant, as he dropped his limp parcel, then turned and leapt out the open window, leaving her with the body of her dead lover.

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"Today Bludhaven buried it's beloved son, Simon Yamal, who was brutally murdered in his home two weeks ago. Attendees of the funeral included the Mayor of Bludhaven with the Commissioner of the Police force, and the District Attorney, as well as much of Bludhaven's citizens and many workers from Grayson Electronics. Richard Grayson, chairman of the company and mentor to Mr Yamal read the eulogy, and accompanied his daughter and Mr Yamal's girlfriend, Carlotta Grayson. Simon Yamal started off in the Youth of the Future project started by Grayson Electronics for teenagers from under privileged backgrounds. He soon proved to be the project's keenest member and helped develop the T330 engine that was later used in the Kawasaki 9600, he was quickly promoted within the company despite his lack of education and previous problems with the law, and was believed to be the man that would one day take over the company once Mr Grayson was ready to retire. Mr Yamal met Miss Grayson, who was two years his junior, several times at Grayson Electronics, and the pair have been dating since she was fifteen. Mr Grayson gave his blessing to the couple on her sixteenth birthday and many believe that Mr Yamal had been planning to propose on her eighteen-"

She put the remote carefully on the sofa next to her and simply stared at the black screen.


	2. Chapter 2

**Chapter 2**

The steps up to the school were normally fairly clear, with a smattering of students lingering outside before the bell summoned them to home room. Today however was an entirely different matter, reporters and cameramen were halfway up the stairs, the carpark filled with badly parked vans, their well-known news channel logos on the side. The students looked around, rather bemused by the sudden crowd of people with cameras. Terry had to turn away, fighting back a grin as he spotted Blade trying to walk up the steps and pose at the same time, just in case someone wanted to take her picture, then pouting when no one paid any attention to her. She flicked some of her pale hair back over her shoulder and stomped up the last few steps in a full-blown snit, and headed straight for the small group waiting near the door.

"Honestly, anyone would think the only person worth pointing a camera at was some spoilt brat from Bludhaven."

Max yawned boredly, then stopped and waved a hand at the road up to the car park.

"Looks like the 'spoilt brat' is making a proper entrance."

Every reporter and cameraman leapt to action, hair was quickly sorted, clothes smoothed, and bright smiles plastered on to faces as suited presenters stood in front of a camera, wireless microphone at the ready, and started their report, while other cameras flashed, somewhere at the back two paparazzi started fighting for a spot over someone's shoulder. The limo, sleek, gun metal gray with tinted windows, pulled up in front of the steps, the driver leapt out as soon as it had stopped and hurried to the passenger door, opening it and offering his hand to the person inside. There was a pause for a few seconds, and then they stepped out. A woman, with curly, dark brown hair, most of it pinned away from her face with silver clips, dark sunglasses hiding her eyes, wearing a black dress that ended just above the knee and a pair of black high-heeled sandals. Her arms were wrapped around her notebook, bracelets on her wrist glittered in the sunlight, and a handbag hung down from her shoulder. She paused for a moment, posing for the media circus that had turned out purely to see her, then began the walk up the steps, back straight and head high, a small smile playing on her lips as the reporters screamed questions at her.

"Miss Grayson, are you concerned about the fact that Bludhaven police have failed to catch Mr Yamal's killer?"

"What do you say to the rumours that you have had a nervous breakdown?"

"Carlotta, is it true that you miscarried Mr Yamal's child while you were in Europe?"

Every single one was disappointed as she walked up the steps without answering any of them, once at the top she turned and posed once more, then turned back and headed straight for the group of students.

"Hello, I'm Carlotta, Carlotta Grayson."

"Well duh."

She looked slightly taken aback by Blade's rudeness, but shrugged it off and turned to Dana.

"Could you tell me where the Principal's office is please?"

"It's okay, I'll show you, it's on the way to my home room. I'm Dana by the way, and this is Terry, Max, and Blade. Come on, the office is this way."

"Thank you. And I'm sorry about all this…this."

She waved a hand at the media storm behind her, a few people at the back were beginning to pack up but a lot of the cameras were pointed up the steps at the group, the number of flashes going off suggested that not only Blade, but all of them were worth photographing, when Bludhaven's spoilt brat was with them.

"Just can't seem to get rid of them. Still, with any luck they'll be gone by this afternoon and won't be back tomorrow, they get bored very quick-"

"Oh my god, is that an original Tee Ay El?"

Blade was staring at the handbag, a fairly simple black bag with a silver clasp that had a decorative flower pattern on it, tucked under Carlotta's arm. She slipped it off and held it out to Blade.

"Sure is, picked it up in Italy two weeks ago. I have last seasons one as well but I never got round to using it, I preferred Petty Ya Ya's style and she gave me one of hers in blue that went with everything I was wearing."

"Petty Ya Ya gave you one of her bags?"

"Well I helped her a bit, back when she was starting in the industry and it was a thank you for that, she's a real darling."

Terry and Max, bemused by Blade and Dana gazing in adoration at the bag, exchanged a look and both raised their eyes skyward. Women and handbags, and women and shoes, Terry knew he would never understand it, he tended to wear his sneakers down until they started to absorb water and then buy some new ones.

"If you three aren't careful you won't get to the office in time, let alone to home room."

"Ter's right, come on, this way, so what's Petty Ya Ya like in real life?"

"Oh she's great, bit scatter brained though…"

Terry stared at his girlfriend's back as she walked off without saying goodbye, then looked at Max who shrugged and slipped off the wall she had been sitting on, following the group in to the school building.

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"Today Carlotta Grayson, daughter of Grayson Electronics founder Dick Grayson, started her first day at Gotham's Hill High school. Carlotta, shown here as she arrived at the school, has spent the four months since Simon Yamal's death travelling around the world, including visits to London, Milan, Shanghai and Tokyo in her itinerary. Rumours have continued to dog the seventeen year old since she left the country a week after Yamal's funeral, with fierce speculation that she was pregnant with his illegitimate child. Miss Grayson did nothing to dispel those rumours today, although her slim figure at the funeral and shown today suggest that she simply needed a break from the city in which she had shared so many memories with Mister Yamal. Her choice of Gotham as her new hide out may be down to her father's links with Gotham city's billionaire Bruce Wayne, with sources suggesting that the teenager is still too traumatized to return home, but that Dick Grayson insisted she return to America to continue her education. Bruce Wayne, now a notorious recluse, may regret any promise he made to Grayson to watch over the troubled teen."


End file.
